The sights of Bornholm


Bornholm offers a wide range of scenic walks such as cliffs, beaches, valleys, waterfalls, rocks, etc., as well as historical and architectural monuments such as churches, lighthouses, windmills and a wide selection of exhibitions in museums and galleries.

Rotund churches on Bornholm - the landmarks of the island

The round churches are some of the most unusual buildings on the island - almost 1000-year-old fortified churches that provided protection for the people of Bornholm from pirate and foreign attacks in times of war. Four of the six Danish round churches are located on Bornholm: Østerlars, Olsker, Nyker and Nylars. Services are still held in the whitewashed churches.

Churches on Bornholm

There is more to Bornholm than round churches. The churches of Bornholm are historical monuments, as well as actively used meeting places. Almost every place on the island has its own church from very different periods in the island's rich history. Many religious buildings were built on old pagan places of worship. Building stones and runestones from the Viking Age can still be found in their cemeteries and in the vestibules of churches. Many of Bornholm's churches have very interesting architectural details.

Churches on Bornholm

Smokehouses on Bornholm

Once Bornholm's most important commodity next to granite, herring - is a specialty that is very popular with locals and tourists alike. It is served as raw fish or smoked with black bread, chives, radishes, onions, and egg yolk. There are countless versions of Bornholm smoked herring on offer in Bornholm's smokehouses - mostly smoked and prepared according to old recipes.

Smokehouses on Bornholm

Rønne - the small capital of Bornholm

One of the most popular tourist destinations on Bornholm is the capital city of Rønne, with its many well-preserved half-timbered houses, cosy restaurants, cafés and bars, and small souvenir shops. Rønne also has a wide cultural offer and various museums.

The fishing town of Nexø on the east coast of Bornholm is also very popular, with a large harbor and a fleet of boats, the famous Swedish Quarter, a railway museum, Martin Andersen's birthplace, the Nexø Museum, and a butterfly park. The small fishing towns of Gudhjem and Svaneke are also destinations on the rocky east coast.

Rønne - the small capital of Bornholm

Museums on Bornholm Museums on Bornholm

The museums on Bornholm are not just about the history of the island, there are also museums of modern art, a museum of natural history, a museum of agriculture, a museum of horticulture, a museum of handicrafts and applied arts, and much more. A visit to the museums of Bornholm is always worthwhile, as you can learn and understand a lot about the island and its people.

Visit the Bornholm museums

Lighthouses on Bornholm Lighthouses on Bornholm

Due to its island location Bornholm has always been dependent on the Baltic Sea and shipping. Today Bornholm's lighthouses are historical witnesses to Bornholm's long maritime tradition, and popular places to take photos. You can find them on all four corners of the island.

Read about the lighthouses

Mills on Bornholm Mills on Bornholm

As Bornholm has always been an agricultural island, there were many mills on the island. Out of a total of almost 250 mills, four water mills and thirteen wind mills have survived. Some of them are still in operation today. One of the mills is part of the Bornholm Agriculture Museum and is used regularly. The island has the largest and oldest windmill in Denmark.

Types of windmills on Bornholm

Art and culture on Bornholm

Bornholm is an island of artists and handicrafts. There are galleries and workshops all over the island. Baltic Sea Glass is especially famous for its art glass, but there is also a lot of pottery and other handicraft produced on Bornholm. Bornholm also has a lot to offer in terms of culture. Besides visiting the theatre in Rønne or the medieval center, you can also go to one of the many museums on the island. We particularly recommend the Bornholm Art Museum, which is picturesquely situated above Helligdomsklipperne, or NaturBornholm, located near Aarkirkeby.

Culture at your fingertips


Bornholm's long history

Due to its long history Bornholm offers many interesting historical castles, ramparts and fortifications. Perhaps the most impressive can be found in the north of the island, where the ruins of the medieval Hammershus Castle rise above the cliffs. The largest castle ruins in Northern Europe sit on a granite rock directly on the steep coastline and are protected on three sides by steep cliffs. Conquered only twice, the bastion withstood attackers for over five centuries. Today the ruins are a popular sight on Bornholm.

You can find evidence of the island's past all over Bornholm. From the Bronze Age and Iron Age, you can find rock carvings, old tombs and rune stones. Bornholm has the largest number of this historical evidence in Denmark. The largest runestone on the island, 3 meters high, stands on the road between Rønne and Klemensker and is called Brogårdsstenen.

Bornholm and the Baltic Sea

In the past, fishing was the island's most important source of income and brought the islanders rich catches. Herring in particular was very important to Bornholm. Trade, and thus the connection to the rest of the world, was carried out through the ports of the small fishing villages. The Baltic Sea also brought many storm waves to the island, some of which had disastrous consequences for the people of Bornholm.
On the other hand, many Bornholmers took advantage of the recurring storms on the Baltic Sea by regularly collecting debris from ships. This is how the first English clocks landed on Bornholm, which later led to the watch trade. Today you can still experience Bornholm's maritime past in the small fishing villages. "A tasty" option is to visit one of the many smokehouses on Bornholm. Apart from the smoked herring dish - they also offer many other seafood specialties.

tovbanen on Bornholm
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